Cuatresia riparia (Kunth) Hunz.

Solanaceae - Potato Family

Identification:
– treelet with paired, glabrous leaves
– 2 cm solitary yellow flowers
– yellow-green berries partly enclosed by calyx


View from below	Flower

Description. Treelet, mature at 2-6 m. Leaves paired, glabrous; flowers sessile in leaf axils, yellow-green, 2 cm long, fruit a green berry with mostly covered by the calyx.

Similar species. Very similar vegetatatively to C. exiguiflora and Witheringia cuneata with pubescent leaves and inflorescences with long peduncles. Could be confused with some Solanum spp. that also have paired leaves.

Local distribution. Common in understory and edges of wetter forests on both slopes, in stream canyons in drier areas.

Habitat. Cloud forest on both slopes, less abundant in wet forest on Pacific slope.

Species range. Mexico to Panama.

Abundance. Common

Phenology. Most of year, peaks in wet season.

Herbivores. Ithomia heraldica, Ithomia xenos

Pollinators. Small bees, also Bombus

Seed dispersers. Bats?

Comments.

Voucher. Zuchowski 346

Plant intro
Created: 15 May 2001. Updated: 11 December 2006.